| Switch Type: | Clicky |
| Mount Type: | Plate Mount |
| Travel Distance: | 2.1mm Actuation | 3.8mm Total |
| Force: | 49g Operating | 61g Bottom-out |
| Price: | ~£4.70 (10 pieces) |
The Kailh Blue is a light clicky Cherry MX Blue clone switch. However, according to Haata’s force curve, the Kailh Blue closely match the Gateron Blue more than the MX Blue.
Smoothness: 5/10
On-centre keypresses are quite smooth for the most part.
However, off-centre keypresses are scratchy. There are occasional inconsistencies too. This is especially true for some of my switches more than others. Perhaps, I stumbled upon a bad batch, but with my experience with Kailh switches, this might not be the case.
Overall, it’s an average switch, neither extremely smooth nor scratchy. For some, this may not even be a dealbreaker. Although, I’d still look at other options before purchasing these.
Kailh Blue switches disassembled.
Weighting: 5/10
The switch actuates at 49g at 2.1mm and bottoms out at 61g at 3.8mm of total travel. The tactile event occurs between 1 and 2mm and peaks at around 56g closely resembling the Gateron Blue – one of its main competitors.
Overall, I find the weighing to be a bit too light for my touch. However, if you enjoy typing on Cherry MX Blues, these may be a great alternative.
Sound: 4/10
Like with so many switches that use a click jacket to generate a ‘click’, the sound they make is very high pitched and rattily. I personally don’t like them at all, but I know some out there that appreciate switches like these.
Typing Performance: 5/10
Typing on these switches is nice. It’s fairly smooth, the weighting isn’t too light or heavy and the tactile event is somewhat noticeable. However, the biggest downside is the less than desired soundtrack; it’s quite the annoyance.
Overall, considering all its factors, it’s a decent switch for pure typing. You’ll just have to get used to the sound it makes, I mean that.
Gaming Performance: 5/10
Gaming on these isn’t too bad. The switch is smooth enough, plus the weighting isn’t anything of concern either. However, as already mentioned…the sound.
Usually, I wear my noise cancelling headphones when gaming, but I could still clearly pick out the switches clicking away in the background which I find really annoying. There isn’t a remedy to this, apart from turning up the game volume, lubing the switches or listening to music or a podcast whilst gaming. It’s a downside, not in the performance of the switch, but in terms of user comfort.
Overall, I wouldn’t use this for gaming at all. Not even casually. When I play a game, I want to be able to focus on it and not be distracted by my own equipment. However, if you’re already used to the sound of a similar clicky switch for gaming, this may not even be a big deal you.
Final Score = 24/50 (48%)
Talking from perspective of using Cherry Blues a lot and trying some Kailh Blues for the first time (no lube with any of them), l do find the key-to-key variance of the noise for Kailh Blues to be quite inconsistent, a few don’t sound at all.
this review is just personal, as with your preferences, keep it private as it don’t possess any value.
Disagree with the 48%. I typo WAY more on normal cherry mx blue switches than on these kaihl blues. I’d take these over cherry any day of the week.